


Little White Lies

by Niknaksstuff



Category: Stargate SG-1
Genre: Christmas Eve, Christmas Fluff, Established Relationship, F/M, Happy Ending, Secret Santa
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-23
Updated: 2018-12-23
Packaged: 2019-09-25 05:24:31
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,512
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17115239
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Niknaksstuff/pseuds/Niknaksstuff
Summary: “I’m not sure I’ll make it home this year.”Jack O’Neill’s message was met with an almost painful silence. He’d actually been rehearsing the best way of telling Sam all day but the excruciating way that he could hear her trying to control her displeasure, only served to confirm his original  assumption. She was royally pissed at him.





	Little White Lies

**Author's Note:**

> Merry Christmas to Iamfanofall
> 
> Written for the SG1secretsanta gift.  
> Original prompt was:-
> 
> “I’m not sure I’ll make it home this year’

“I’m not sure I’ll make it home this year.” 

Jack O’Neill’s message was met with an almost painful silence. He’d actually been rehearsing the best way of telling Sam all day but the excruciating way that he could hear her trying to control her displeasure, only served to confirm his original assumption. She was royally pissed at him. 

“There’s a big meeting been scheduled for Christmas Eve. I swear those guys are related to the Grinch. They don’t seem to have lives outside the Pentagon. Anyway, I’m not gonna be able to get a flight out until late Boxing Day. I’m sorry, I know how important this was for...”

“Jack...” Sam interrupted his rambling, after taking a large calming breath. “It’s okay, I know how it is. If you could be here you would. I know that.” 

She sounded calm and controlled, almost sympathetic but deep down, Sam Carter was fighting to control the urge to either scream or break down into uncontrollably ugly tears. 

It wasn’t their first Christmas together, that had been the previous year which had turned out to be a bitter sweet experience at best. It had been the first Christmas without her dad and she’d been so grateful that she had Jack to comfort her every time some stupid Christmas tradition had reminded her of Jacob and she ended up like a soggy mess with Jack’s arms wrapped around her. For their first Christmas together as a couple it had been memorable... for all the wrong reasons.

So, this year, Sam had hoped that she’d be able to show Jack what it was like to be a part of her life on one of the most magical times of the year, when she wasn’t an emotional wreck. 

Somehow though, they never really seemed to get a break. Sam was offworld a lot of the time and very rarely did their time off seem to coincide. Nevertheless, the time they did spend together was never wasted. In all honesty, it did normally consist of them being wrapped around one another most of the time, not that either of them complained. They loved each other so much that neither one of them wanted to contemplate life without the other. 

“You should still go up to the cabin like we planned,” Jack suggested.

“As lovely as it is, I don’t think it’ll be half as much fun without you there,” Sam smiled and pulled her knees up to her chest with her free hand. 

“Yes, I can understand that, I am a pretty interesting guy,” he smirked, “but the thing is, I’ve invited Daniel and Teal’c up on Christmas Eve so you gotta be there, Sam,” Jack continued to explain.

Sam sighed and shook her head in disbelief. “Jack O’Neill, as much as I love you, sometimes I could really kill you.”

“What’s the problem, I thought you’d jump at the chance of all getting together again.” 

“Yeah, yeah of course I do, it’s just...” Sam stuttered as she could feel tears beginning to sting her eyes. 

“Just what, Sam?” he was now becoming a little alarmed at how emotional Sam seemed to be and was beginning to regret the subterfuge he had resorted to. 

“I’m not sure I can do it without you.” It was almost a whisper but her words hit him in the chest like a juggernaut. 

Jack’s heart began to break as he could hear his normally brave, strong Colonel starting to crumble on the other end of the line. 

“Sam, sweetheart. I’ll be there as soon as I can and then it’ll be just like old times. Hell, I bet Teal’c even brings Star Wars for us to watch. It’s his ‘go to’ Christmas movie ya know.”

Sam laughed and swiped away the tears with the back of her hand as she pictured the huge smirk Jack was more than likely wearing.

“Okay, I guess it’ll be fun but you promise you’ll be there as soon as you can?” She didn’t want to sound like she was pleading but if truth be told she actually was. 

“Yep... you betcha,” Jack grinned.

“Okay, well it’s just a couple more days I guess and then I get to give you your present,” Sam smiled and rested her chin on her knees.

“I hope it’s worth waiting for.” Jack’s voice had become thick with desire at the anticipation of seeing Sam again. It had been too long not having her in his arms, not being able to hold her and tell her all the things that he loved about her. 

“Oh, I don’t think you’ll be disappointed.”

“Jesus, Sam. You have no idea the things you do to me,” Jack sighed.

“I think I probably do, flyboy. I just wish you weren’t nearly 2000 miles away right now.”

Jack groaned as he could hear the shift in Sam’s voice. “I gotta go but I’ll be with you as soon as I can. Just make sure you’re there by late afternoon on Christmas Eve to meet the guys.”

“I will. I love you,” Sam replied.

“Love you too.” 

Jack hung up the phone and ran his fingers through his predictably dishevelled hair. He glanced across at the pile of cardboard boxes that lay half filled on the floor. Opening his desk drawer, he momentarily touched the small blue velvet box that lay within before hearing a knock on the door. He quickly slid the drawer shut before standing and smoothing down his jacket ready to attend the most important meeting of his life.

............

Sam wasn’t too sure whether she loved or hated the trip to Minnesota. She certainly loved it when she was with Jack. They’d take it in turns to feed each other mints as they shared the driving. But being on her own was just one long, hard slog. On top of that she knew that when she got to the cabin it would be cold, damp and completely unwelcoming. Yep, she did indeed sometimes hate Jack O’Neill and the way that he could so easily get around her. 

Seeing a gas station up ahead she decided it was time for a rest break. She’d been driving for hours and was beginning to feel as if she was seizing up. She pulled in, stretched as she eased herself out of the car and made her way to the diner. 

Jack’s flight from Washington had been uneventful. He’d picked up the hire car and was making good time even though a steady blanket of snow had begun to fall. 

By the time he rattled up the rough dirt track to the cabin there was a good three inches of snow lying on the ground. It was early afternoon and he knew that he had plenty of time to make the place as warm and inviting as he could. He hauled his gear out of the truck and trudged through the snow up to the front door.

After dropping his bag in the kitchen and fixing himself a beer, he went back out and dragged the huge pine tree from its place on the truck. He’d picked it up on the way through town and knew that it would put the finishing touches to his plan. 

Glancing at his watch he was shocked to find it later than he expected so without further delay he set about trimming the tree and making the cabin look as festive as he could. It had been years since he’d actually gleaned any pleasure from Christmas and it’s sugary sentimentality. But now that he was finally in a relationship with Sam, it all seemed worthwhile. He hummed as he draped the tree in thick swathes of tinsel.

An hour later, with beer in hand, he proudly took a step back to survey his handiwork. 

The cabin looked beautiful. It was a sea of shimmering red and gold. The tree stood proudly to the left of the fireplace in which was roaring a fierce, crackling blaze. The cabin was no longer damp and cold, it was warm and cosy, exactly how he wanted it. 

He rummaged in his hold all and took out three carefully wrapped packages. Kneeling down he placed them carefully beneath the tree. Finally, he retrieved the small blue box from his jacket and pushed it into the front pocket of his jeans. 

His work was done. All that was left now was to wait patiently for Sam to arrive but looking out at the heavy snow flurries only unsettled him. Needing to keep busy, he yanked his bag from the floor and headed to the bedroom to unpack.

..............

Once the snow had started to drift down, Sam had decided not to hang around at the rest stop. The remainder of her journey had been pretty but treacherous. She was relieved to finally see the break in the trees up ahead that led to Jack’s cabin. 

The snow was now about five inches thick and showing no sign of easing. She finally relaxed her grip on the steering wheel when she saw the cabin a short distance ahead and her shoulders ached with tense, knotted muscles.

Drawing near to the cabin Sam spotted the hire car and she could see a warm glow from the window. Strange. The guys must have beaten her to it, she thought. Jack had probably told Daniel about the key that he kept below a loose plank on the deck. 

The snow had eased briefly and Sam took her opportunity to slide out of the car and grab her things. Pushing open the cabin door, she dropped her bag and took off her coat. The heat from the fire hit her instantly and her gaze was drawn towards the huge tree that stood in the corner. 

Feeling that something wasn’t quite right, Sam called out to her former team mates. 

“Hey, Teal’c, Daniel... where are you guys?”

Receiving no reply, Sam made her way through to the kitchen. She spotted the empty beer bottle sitting on the counter and she began to feel uneasy. Just as she was about to turn tail and bolt through the door, Jack appeared from down the corridor.

“Hey,” he grinned and raised his arms, “Surprise!”

Sam just stood there with her mouth agape. 

“I managed to get away. Thought I’d surprise ya,” Jack moved slowly towards her. 

After the initial shock, Sam returned to her senses and instantly closed the gap between them. Her lips found Jack’s and she wrapped her arms around his waist.

“Mmmm...” Jack groaned. “I do believe you’re pleased to see me Colonel.”

Sam pushed him back slightly to look at him and then she grabbed the front of his shirt and pulled him to her forcibly. 

“God, I’ve missed you.” 

“Yeah I’m kinda getting that impression,” Jack chuckled as he rubbed comforting circles on her back. 

“How come you didn’t have to stay for the meeting?” Sam quizzed him.

“Aw, turns out it was all a misunderstanding,”  
Jack shrugged. 

“That seems a bit too convenient. They don’t normally mix things up.”

“Yeah well, mustn’t grumble eh?” Jack blushed as he began to feel uncomfortable under her interrogation.

“Jack O’Neill, what is it that you’re not telling me. You know you’re a lousy liar.” Sam took a step away from him and dropped her hands to her hips.

There was little use trying to continue with his deception. It was a fair cop. Time to come clean.

“I did have a meeting but it was yesterday and just a formality really, took a matter of minutes.” Jack took Sam gently by the hand and led her through to the lounge. He guided her to the sofa in front of the fire and sat down next to her after retrieving one of the parcels from under the tree. 

“I was gonna leave this until tomorrow but I don’t think I can wait,” he shrugged apologetically. 

Sitting back on the sofa, Sam watched as Jack fiddled nervously with the edges of a delicately wrapped, flat parcel.

“Is that my present?” Sam asked.

“Yep, it’s one of them.” He continued to pick at the corner of the parcel.

“You gonna give it to me?”

“Oh... oh yeah,” Jack thrust the package into Sam’s hands.

She quickly ripped back the wrapping paper to reveal a large brown envelope. Sam glanced at Jack with a confused look on her face.

“Open it,” he coaxed her.

She pulled a letter from the envelope and began to read slowly, “General O’Neill, After careful consideration, it has been decided that your request for Retirement be granted,” Sam stared up at Jack, disbelief etched across her face. She continued to read in silence. 

After digesting the information, Sam turned her face to Jack, “But why have you retired now?”

“So that I can do this...” Jack dropped to one knee with only a slight grimace and took hold of Sam’s left hand. “Sam, I’ve loved you for longer than I can even remember and I know that I never want to be anywhere than by your side.”

Sam glanced down at his handsome features and ran the fingers of her free hand across his cheek and through his hair.

“I know I’m not the greatest of catches, particularly when you could have any man you wanted and believe me I don’t take that for granted.”

Tears began to well in Sam’s eyes and she beamed at Jack who merely tightened his grip on her hand as if he was scared that she would run away. 

“I don’t think I’m very good at this,” Jack sighed but decided to carry on after a reassuring squeeze of Sam’s hand. “If you could find your way to overlook the fact that I’m a burnt out, retired General who is arguably too old for you... then I wonder if you would do me the honour of becoming my wife?”

Sam’s hand flew up to her mouth as Jack opened the tiny blue box to reveal a delicate solitaire diamond ring.

“Marry me, Sam and make me the the happiest man alive.” Jack pulled himself up so that he was sitting next to her, their thighs pressed tightly against each other. 

“Yes, yes,” Sam replied without hesitation, as the tears flowed down her cheeks. “A thousand times yes.” She pressed her lips to Jack’s as the fire in the hearth crackled loudly. 

When they finally broke apart, Jack slid the ring onto Sam’s finger. He brought her hand up to his lips and kissed her knuckles softly. Snuggling into his side, Sam purred with contentment.

“So, think you can beat my present?” Jack waggled his eyebrows suggestively. 

“You’ll just have to wait and see and hope that Santa thinks you’ve been a good boy this year,” Sam chuckled into his chest.

Jack sat up carefully and Sam followed. Taking hold of her hand he yanked her up from the sofa. He pulled her along with him down the corridor towards his bedroom.

“Ya know what... being good is highly overrated.”


End file.
